An Assassination in Beirut

Hard to believe we missed this Lee Smith piece from a few days ago. Smith, one of the sharpest observers of Middle East affairs, writes about the murder of General Wissam al-Hassan and the larger stakes for the futures of Lebanon and Syria. A great read.

The current campaign may turn out to be even bloodier for the stakes are higher—to ensure not only the continuation of Hezbollah’s hegemony, but also the Syrian regime’s survival. Assad is counting on the international community, led by the White House, to rescue him from the twenty-month long uprising that seeks to bring his regime down on his head.